The invention relates to a quick-release guide assembly for elements of or used for an external fixation system.
The use of surgical fixation systems for a variety of orthopedic applications is widely accepted. Plates are used by surgeons to stabilize or align a patient's bone as well as alter compression of patient's bones. Such plates are then fastened to the bones with a plurality of fasteners such as screws that are installed through holes in the plate. However beside plates such elements to be guided are e.g. drills, taps, screws, pins, other fasteners or instruments.
Each fixation pin should properly align with its associated pin clamp hole so that each pin is seated correctly with the external fixation system and enters the bone at an appropriate angle. Any misalignment of the pin within the pin clamp hole may result in an unstable or insecure connection of the external fixation system, e.g. a plate, to the bone, thus potentially defeating the usefulness of the external fixation system.
It is known in the field to use drill guides to improve the quality and accurateness of the drilled bores in view of the external fixation system to be used. Such a drill guide is known from U.S. Publication 20050038444 and 20050137606.
Another drill guide is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,980. The drill guide is manipulated through use of a handle which is releasably connected to the drill structure for manipulating the shell.
The handle structure includes a tip end portion constructed and arranged to releasably fit within either one of the bushings comprising the drill guide structure. Each bushing includes an open-ended slot, and a key on the outside of the tip end portion of the handle structure mates within the slot when the handle is fitted into one of the bushings. This overall structural relationship properly positions the handle structure relative to the drill guide and additionally prevents relative rotation.
This known device has the drawback that one of the holes on the surface of the drill guide plate is used to hold the handle and cannot be chosen for drilling a hole. Furthermore, the proximal end of the handle has an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the drill guide structure and may be inconvenient for the surgeon to use a drill in this environment.
Furthermore, hospitals are often interested in providing one single handle for different applications to be able to gain room in a sterilization box and reduce costs. Surgeons are interested in using guide assemblies wherein elements can be connected more flexibly to follow the space requirements within the framework of a chirurgical intervention and to optimize the handling for the user.